NCJ Number
36019
Date Published
1977
Length
454 pages
Annotation
FOUR HANDBOOKS DESIGNED TO ASSESS THE QUALITY OF SERVICES BEING DELIVERED BY PUBLIC DEFENDERS THROUGH EVALUATION OF DELIVERY OF LEGAL AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, QUALITY OF REPRESENTATION, AND FUNCTIONING AS AN ADVERSARY.
Abstract
THE EVALUATION DESIGN FOCUSES UPON BOTH OFFICE AND ATTORNEY PERFORMANCE, AND USES A VARIETY OF TECHNIQUES TO GATHER INFORMATION -- INTERVIEWS, OBSERVATION, CASE FILE AND DOCKET STUDIES, AND A MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS. IT IS CONSTRUCTED AROUND THE ACTIVITIES OF AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATION TEAM WHICH ENGAGES IN BOTH PRE-SITE AND ON-SITE DATA GATHERING, ANALYZING, AND SYNTHESIZING. IT SHOULD BE STRESSED THAT THE EVALUATION DESIGN DEVELOPED IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE SMALL (1-5 ATTORNEYS) AND MEDIUM (6-25 ATTORNEYS) SIZED OFFICE. THE EVALUATION OF A LARGE OFFICE WOULD ENTAIL MORE EVALUATORS, MORE DAYS ON-SITE, AND ADDITIONAL ISSUES OF SUBSTANCE TO ACCOUNT FOR THOSE ELEMENTS WHICH COME WITH INCREASED SIZE (E.G. DECENTRALIZATION, SUPRASTRUCTURES). HANDBOOK I, PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PERIOD, DETAILS ACTIVITIES WHICH ARE PRELIMINARY TO THE ON-SITE VISIT OF THE ENTIRE EVALUATION TEAM. HANDBOOK II, STATISTICAL STUDY OF DEFENDER AND COURT CASE FILES, OUTLINES THE PROCEDURES TO BE UNDERTAKEN FOR TWO STATISTICAL STUDIES; FIRST, A STUDY OF CASE FILES IN THE DEFENDER OFFICE; AND SECOND, OF CASES HANDLED BY THE COURT (S) BEFORE WHICH DEFENDERS APPEAR. HANDBOOK III, ON-SITE EVALUATION - QUALITY REPRESENTATION, PRESENTS THE APPROACH TO BE TAKEN DURING THE SITE VISIT BY THE EVALUATION TEAM. IT SPECIFIES THE DATA TO BE GATHERED AND PROVIDES INSTRUCTIONS FOR ITS SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS. IT ALSO CONTAINS THE FORMAT FOR THE FINAL REPORT OF THE EVALUATION TEAM. HANDBOOK IV, ONSITE EVALUATION - MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS, SETS THE STAGE AND SPECIFIES THE ACTIVITIES FOR A MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS OF THE PREVIOUS THREE. THESE HANDBOOKS CONSTITUTE BASIC BACKGROUND READING FOR THE INDIVIDUAL (S) DIRECTING AN EVALUATION OF A DEFENDER OFFICE. THREE ADDITIONAL HANDBOOKS SHOULD BE ORGANIZED FOR USE BY THE EVALUATION TEAM; TEAM CAPTAIN HANDBOOK; TEAM MEMBER HANDBOOK; QUALITY; AND TEAM MEMBER HANDBOOK - MANAGEMENT. INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THESE THREE HANDBOOKS APPEAR IN THE LAST SECTION OF THIS VOLUME. TAKEN TOGETHER, THESE HANDBOOKS PROVIDE A METHOD OF DETERMINING WHETHER A DEFENDER OFFICE IS ACHIEVING THE ABOVE GOALS, AND PRESENT AN EVALUATION DESIGN AND FORMAT FOR RESULTS WHICH SHOULD BE HELPFUL TO AN EVALUATION TEAM AND USEFUL TO THE DEFENDER OFFICE. FOR A MANUAL FOR PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE SELF-EVALUATION, SEE NCJ-36018; FOR A PROJECT SUMMARY REPORT, SEE NCJ-36073. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)